Of Studies and HalfMelodies
by fowl68
Summary: You’re the tutor?” Naruto's grin was full-fledged now. “So what was it you needed help on?” Smart!NaruSasu For freexflyer
1. Chapter 1

_**Studies and Half-Melodies**_

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything! The lyrics that Naruto's singing are from Mr. Brightside from the Killers. I know from experience that thet's hard to play.

**Author's Note:** This is a fic for freexflyer, who requested I do a smart!Naru fic. Here's my try at it.

-!-!-!-!

"_Every problem, Mr. Higgens, is simply an opportunity in disguise."- Inara__**(Firefly)**_

-!-!-!-!

Speed is equal to height times velocity squared, so if the African Swallow is flying at 134 feet and is going 54 miles per hour….Sasuke suppressed the urge to throw the textbook against the wall. _Why_ was he supposed to care how fast the swallow was going? A hushed argument caught his attention and Sasuke peered at the two out of the corner of his eye.

One was a brunette with dark hair pulled into a spiky ponytail with dark brown eyes. The other was slightly shorter with brilliantly blonde hair that looked like it sorely needed an introduction to something called a brush with three scars on each cheek that looked like whiskers and the cerulean eyes that were shining as the argument continued.

"Come _on_, Shika! Just tell me the one answer and I'll be done!"

"I already told you no, Naruto. You figured out the others, why not this one too?" the brunette gave his good friend a sleepy, uncaring look. He'd been trying to get a nap in before PE, but as usual, the blonde was making it damn near impossible.

"You did the work already, Shika. You know that that one takes forever!" Naruto whined, "And why'd you do the work anyhow?"

"So I could maybe get some _sleep_ without the Kurenai-sensei biting my head off." The sleepy look switched to a glare.

An encouraging smile spread across the blonde's lips. "So if you give me this answer, you can go to sleep and I won't bother you for the rest of the period." Naruto enticed.

Shikamaru groaned. "Thirty-eight."

"You're a life-saver." Naruto scribbled the answer down before folding it into a plane and throwing it so it landed smoothly into the first period basket.

"Uzumaki, why couldn't you have just gotten up and _placed_ it into the basket? It's three feet away!"

"Are you sure that's the exact mathematical distance? I don't thin kit was quite three feet. And because I'm a lazy ass, same as most of us in here."

Kurenai groaned. There was no winning with that kid sometimes. Sasuke looked at the swallow question. It was the last one of the first part of their assigned assignment. Glancing at Kurenai before hastily writing the answer down, Sasuke leaned back contentedly. That problem was a bugger to solve. Hopefully, he could get away with no work.

-?-?-?-?

"Theory of evolution-who thought of it?" Yamato wasn't the best choice for a Biology Honors teacher, but he was better than a lot of others.

The class seemed at a blank and no one, not even the class know-it-all Haruno Sakura, had the answer.

"No one? Uzumaki?" The class's eyes turned to the blonde, who sat a row behind Sasuke. The paper that was their review sheet was blank of answers and filled with doodles of musical notes and instruments.

"You say something, sensei?" Naruto looked up from a new doodle, a ribcage, but instead of a heart, there was a guitar.

"Who invented the theory of evolution?" Yamato repeated slowly.

"Charles Darwin in _Origin of the Species._ 1859. Detailed the theory of natural selection." Naruto replied of-handedly, adding slight shading to the ribs.

Yamato's eyes narrowed while everyone else's, save for Shikamaru's whose were closed, got impossibly wide.

-?-?-?-?

"You know, for study hall, you're actually supposed to study." Sakura hissed from across the table.

The bright blue eyes caught the hankie sack he was playing with and his lips twisted into a smile. "Really, Sakura-chan? How many kids here do you think are actually studying?"  
"With your grades, you need to!"

Naruto chuckled a little before leaning back on two of the chair's legs, resuming play with the hankie sack. Ino looked at her best friend significantly. "Don't even try it, Sakura. If he wants to fail, let him fail."

Sasuke found it difficult to believe that Naruto was failing, at least in Biology. He'd known the answer from memorization. Sasuke had known only one other person able to do that and that was his older brother, Itachi; His parent's pride and joy. The one who didn't have to try to do anything-He just _knew_. Sasuke stopped the train of bitterness before it got too far and stubbornly returned to his American Government homework.

-?-?-?-?

The room was empty when Sasuke entered, dropping his bag onto a chair. Or, he thought it was. He looked over and saw the Uzumaki kid sitting on a piano bench, studying a piece of paper, guitar in his lap.

"_Jealousy, turning saints into the sea _

_Swimming through sick lullabies _

_Choking on your alibis _

_But it's just the price I pay Destin_-Frick." Naruto cursed under his breath as his fingers slipped a fret too far. He looked up and watched Sasuke curiously, but didn't say anything.

"You here for tutoring too?" Sasuke asked, remembering the girls' talk of grades.

"That's why you're here then." Naruto set the paper on the piano and flipped the guitar over so the back was facing up. There was a renewed interest in his eyes. "Name's Uzumaki Naruto. Now, whaddaya need help with?"

"I'd rather wait for the real tutor." Sasuke told him.

A half grin, half smirk upturned Naruto's lips. "I'm not one to wait around for myself."

"_You're_ the tutor?" Sasuke couldn't completely banish the disbelief from his voice.

The grin was full-fledged now. "So what was it you needed help on?"

-/-/-/-/

**Author's Note Pt 2:** Whew. That was quite the challenge. As for the math question at the very first part, I honestly don't know what it is, although the Evolution Theory info is right though. Tell me what you guys think so far!


	2. Tutors and Labs

_**Studies and Half-Melodies**_

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything!

**Author's Note:** I have a guitar concert tomorrow and I'm nowhere near ready. Argh. Hopefully, this'll help keep my mind off it. And it's only one month till my birthday! Woo!

-!-!-!-!

"_Ever notice how DYING is at the end of STUDYING?"-Anonymous_

-!-!-!-!

"How in the name of hell did you become a tutor?!"

"Ya know, I don't think that's a subject. But to answer the question, I got signed up for it. Apparently my great-aunt decided that I should have something better to do with my time. And I ask my question again-why do you need tutoring?"

"American Government." Sasuke told him grudgingly, pulling the textbook from his bag.

"You've got Ebisu right? Guy can't teach it for nothing. Answering questions in the book everyday never taught nobody nothing. Now where's Iruka keeping his Expo markers?" Naruto dug through the drawers of the music teacher's desk before checking the piano. Iruka spent a lot of time at the piano with helping kids tune and with teaching them their songs, no matter what instrument they played. "How does he find these things?"  
"Maybe he takes them home?" Iruka suggested from the doorway, tossing a box of markers at the blonde.

The bright blue box sailed through the air, narrowly missing Naruto's face before his hand shot out and grabbed it. "Maybe that too. I thought you went home already?"

"I was supposed to. Then Kakashi asked me for a ride home because his car broke down, so I gotta wait for him. Make sure you put those on my desk when you're done. And good luck, Sasuke." Iruka told them as he left the room.

"Alright, let's see if we can get anything through all that gel, Uchiha." Naruto took an eraser and erased the entire board, having to get on his tiptoes to reach the very top. "Let's start basic, America's got a federal government and they've got three main branches: Legislative, executive and judicial."

"I know that. Although you need some work with your handwriting."

"Hey, I'm short. I know it. I'm tryin' to write on the very top of this and the nearest chair is the one you're sitting in."

"You have bad handwriting either way." Sasuke pointed out. "kakashi's always saying so."

Naruto gave him a disbelieving look. "The guy can barely write, in case you didn't notice."

"Neither can you."

Naruto stuck his tongue out at him.

Sasuke raised his eyebrows. "You're so mature."

"Never claimed I was. You simply thought so. Now, you wanna learn this or not?"

Sasuke glared at him, but stopped protesting. He refused to take this class for another year. He'd failed it once already. Although he had to admit, the blonde was pretty good at explaining things. His diagrams were filled with startlingly straight lines done without a ruler and he used a lot of metaphors. Sasuke wondered if this is how he had learned it.

-?-?-?-?

"How was the tutoring?"

Naruto looked up at his great-aunt Tsunade. Tsunade wasn't really his great-aunt, but she'd been a close friend of his parents and had taken custody of him when they'd passed away. She was blonde, much like him except it wasn't as bright. It was closer to honey-colored. Her hazel eyes were sharp for a woman of her age, despite the fact that she didn't look like she was fifty-something. She must've just gotten home because she was still in her hospital uniform.

"Better than it could've been. I'm tutoring a kid named Uchiha."

Tsunade's eyes narrowed. She must've recognized the name. Everyone in town did. They remembered the accidental fire eight years ago, the one that had killed the Uchiha mansion. She'd been on duty that night, treating burns and making sure there was no post-traumatic stress.

"The younger one? Sasuke? He seemed very smart to me. I don't see why he would need tutoring."

"He's had Ebisu as a teacher the last two years for American Government. Everyone needs help whose got him." Naruto explained, reaching up for a cup of ramen.

"Don't even think about eating the instant stuff. Jiraiya's supposed to be bringing food."

Naruto rolled his eyes and let his hand move to the fruit bowl on the counter. Tsunade wasn't a health nut, like so many people assumed. She was fine with him eating the stuff, so long as he made sure to eat some healthy stuff too. And besides, she had sake every day. No one could say that was healthy. Grabbing a peach, he washed it and climbed the stairs to his room.

He'd been given the loft to use as a room in their small apartment. He'd never minded though. The loft was roomy enough and Jiraiya had set up his bookshelves to use as a wall for him for some privacy, despite the fact that there was no door. The bookshelves were filled to the brim, and then some with books in stacks downstairs, on his nightstand and on his windowsill. A good half of them weren't his, Jiraiya being a writer and keeping copies of his 'brilliant novels.' Naruto had flipped through some of them and had only snapped them shut before throwing them at the old pervert's head. Jiraiya wasn't a bad man, just a perv.

His bed was pushed against the far wall, beside his window for the best light to read by. Its faded duvet of foxes and large oak trees looked as inviting as it ever did as Naruto fell back on it. The bed squeaked and was rather squishy, but that was the way Naruto liked it. He couldn't imagine it any other way. His eyes traveled to his posters on the walls. One was of April Sixth, a favorite band of his, another of Santana who, in Naruto's opinion, was one of the best guitarists ever made by man. Papers were taped on the walls, tablature written in his neatest hand spreading across them. Naruto had been unable to find a music stand and had used the next best thing. His guitar leaned against the wall, light wood on the top and darker wood along the sides and back. The rosette was lined in dark green leaves and red and orange candle flames inside. Jiraiya had found the guitar special for his fifteenth birthday, telling him that it would've been a coming of age gift from his parents. It was carefully polished each morning and every night, a kind of ritual that helped clear his mind.

Tsunade had gotten him an electric keyboard to help him with his piano. The keyboard doubled as a desk and had his textbooks stacked beside it and papers tossed haphazardly around it. Naruto eyed his Global History textbook. He had an essay due tomorrow, but he decided to leave it. He wasn't in the mood to write a three page essay. Then again, when was he ever?

-?-?-?-?

"New lab partners?" the words were echoed across the room in disbelief.

"Stop complaining the lot of you." Yamato's voice cut sharply across their protests. "Change is good for you guys. Your names are on post-its that have been taped to the tables. If you untape them, I'll know. Just sit and do this lab with no complaints. It's not even difficult .You're just looking at different animals' cells."

The class groaned. Cells weren't exactly exciting, but they all reluctantly to their feet, scanning the tabletops for their names. Naruto found his right by a sink and sank into the stool. His eyes flicked up when a familiar someone sat beside him.


	3. Whispers in the Dark

_**Studies and Half-Melodies**_

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything! The song is Whispers in the Dark by Skillet.

**Author's Note:** Sorry it took me so long to write this, but writer's block was my Christmas present from God, and I finally got over it. And my birthday was two weeks ago, so now I'm officially fifteen! Woo! …I've been drinking too much Coke.

-!-!-!-!

"_Homework should burn in hell. Luckily, it is highly flammable."-Anonymous_

-!-!-!-!

Naruto grinned at Shikamaru. "You look so excited to be my lab partner."

"Ecstatic." Shikamaru replied flatly, but there was a slight smile on his face as he dropped into the stool. "Did you get that gig yet?"

Naruto took the toothpick, grimacing when he had to take out some of his cheek cells. He placed them on the slide and put iodine on it. "Nope. They don't want a sophomore for it because they're afraid I'll get 'overwhelmed.' Yeah right."

"You could actually take those tests that let you skip a grade. You'd pass and then you could get the gig."

"I could, but then I wouldn't see any of my friends. I'd rather not have the gig."

Shikamaru shook his head before peering into the microscope dutifully. "You should take it. We're gonna be here no matter what, but that offer won't always be there."

Naruto shook his head stubbornly. "No way. There's no point in coming to school without someone to make it interesting."

The brunette raised his eyebrows at him, knowing that Naruto could see the expression even while he scribbled the answer down. Biology wasn't even slightly interesting when it came to cells and Shikamaru was in no mood to have to do the lab over. "You still have the kids you tutor. Don't they make it interesting?"

Naruto glanced across the room. Shikamaru read the look on his face. "Uchiha Sasuke needing tutoring. I never thought I'd see the day."

"Did you think he'd get Ebisu? Of course he needs tutoring if Ebisu's his teacher." Naruto reasoned.

Yamato smacked the blonde lightly with a rolled up newspaper. "Get to work, Uzumaki, Nara."

"We finished." They informed him.

Yamato glanced over their papers skeptically. Both boys had an incredible amount of potential if they would only put some effort in. All perfect answers with some doodles on the side on Naruto's part. Yamato ran a hand through his hair. The class wasn't even half over and the boys were done. There wasn't any work he could give them or else they'd be way too far ahead.

"If you two can keep it quiet, you guys can relax for the rest of the period." Yamato told them as way of warning and permission as he walked away.

"Naptime." Shikamaru warned as Naruto opened his mouth.

The blonde laughed. "Alright, alright. Night, Shika."

Naruto pulled out a worn notebook, the bright orange color having faded from use, water spills and rips. A sticker stretched across the cover, white with black letters and a map of the Virgin Islands behind it. The writing read: 'Chuck Norris went to the Virgin Islands once. Now they're just called the islands.' Naruto nudged the pencil from where is was stuck in-between the spirals and opened to a page with carefully drawn scales were. Some of the notes were already filled in, but only up to the second measure.

Naruto began humming the beat he had in his head, before adding a melody and carefully sketching the notes. "Da na na na na You'll never be alone  
When darkness comes, I'll light the night with stars  
Hear my whispers in the dark."

Lines and notes appeared beneath Naruto's hand, the entire paper filled to the brim with the song. The words appeared in his mind as though they'd always been there, the words seeming to write themselves beneath the measures. A tapping that didn't fit with the beat made him snap his head up, searching for the source of the sound.

Bubblegum pink hair was held back by a Minnie Mouse headband, and emerald eyes were a little confused as she looked at him. Her white shirt had a crown and underneath in pink letters was 'Yes, I am a Disney princess, thanks for asking.'

"Sakura?"

"Welcome back to the land of the normal, Naruto. Class is almost over."

Naruto blinked at the clock, struggling to see the time. Seriously, why couldn't schools invest in readable clocks? It was twelve…God what was that second number? A two? Not that it mattered. Class got out at twelve o' eight.

After thanking Sakura, Naruto turned and gently shook Shikamaru awake. Dark brown eyes blink blearily at him. "Up ya get. Unless you wanna sleep on a cold lab table for the next period too."

As Shikamaru straightened, the bones in his back and neck popped and cracked satisfyingly. He glimpsed the page with the song on it. "New one?"

"Mmmhmm. I'm gonna play it at home, see how it sounds."

"You have everything but a name."

"Whispers in the Dark, I guess. I'll bring my guitar on Thursday so you and the guys can hear it."

"You gonna skip sixth period?"

"Yeah. I'll stop by Iruka's room and borrow a guitar and head out."

-?-?-?-?

"Despite the lies that you're making  
Your love is mine for the taking  
My love is  
Just waiting  
To turn your tears to roses

I will be the one that's gonna hold you  
I will be the one that you run to"  
My love is  
A burning, consuming fire."

His hands were darting up and down the fret board, strumming with a speed that didn't seem real. He sat on the edge of the roof of the building, one leg crossed under the other leg that was left hanging. It was late in the school day, with a half hour to go until the last bell of the day rang.

"You'll never be alone  
When darkness comes you know I'm never far  
Hear my whispers in the dark

You feel so lonely and ragged  
You lay here broken and naked  
My love is  
Just waiting  
To clothe you in crimson roses

I will be the one that's gonna find you  
I will be the one that's gonna guide you  
My love is  
A burning, consuming fire"

"Not bad, dobe." Sasuke commented.

The blonde didn't jump, but the crystalline eyes turned to look at him. The gently sinking sun highlighted the gold of his hair and brought out the natural tan. "What're you doing here? A good student like you, skipping?"

"Free period. You don't think of yourself as a good student then."

Naruto leaned back on his right hand comfortably. "Nope. Being smart doesn't make a good student, obviously. The good ones are the ones that work for it. That's kinda why you fit in the description."

"If I'm a good student, why are you tutoring me?"

"'Cause I got 'volunteered' for the job. I'd be out looking for gigs instead."  
"Hate the job?"

"Nah. I just really wanna be a performer, or a famous guitarist. Heard you had a test in Government."  
"Hn."

A smile spread across Naruto's lips. "How'd it go? Was it easy?"

"Hn."

The smile widened and Naruto laughed, the warm sound wrapping itself around Sasuke. "All thanks to good tutoring."

Sasuke wouldn't say it out loud, but Naruto wasn't a bad tutor. There were some things that Naruto had tried to explain, but had been unable to. He'd said it was because the way his brain perceives ideas, things just tended to make sense and not give him an explanation. And to back that up after seeing the disbelieving expression on Sasuke's face, he'd said that that's what his aunt, a doctor, had told him.

"What good tutoring, dobe?"

"The one that helped you pass, teme. But hey, if you think you can pass without my help, go ahead." Naruto stood up, stretching and he propped the guitar on his shoulder. "You tell me how that goes."  
"If you're going to go back inside, you're going to get caught."

Naruto smirked at him, and dug in his pocket before holding up a small, pink square of paper. "Nope. Iruka-sensei got me a pass. See ya, teme."

Sasuke counted down in his head. 3…2…1…

"Uzumaki." Sasuke could hear the familiar voice, one that Sasuke had heard since forever because Kakashi was an old friend of the family, through the door to the stairs that Naruto had gone through.

"Hey, Kakashi-sensei." Naruto greeted.

"Lemme guess-skipping?"

"Who? Me? Kakashi-sensei, why would I ever do something so vile and looked down upon?"

Sasuke could imagine the look that Kakashi was giving him with the visble dark eye. The other one always had an eye patch and when people asked him why, he would tell them the story about how he became a pirate captain. It was never the same story twice, simply because Kakashi liked to screw with people.

"Because you're you. Any pass that's not three weeks old?"

"Two and a half. Does that count?"

"Nope." A small pause and Sasuke figured that Naruto was showing him the pass. "You are so lucky that has the right date. But you don't have Iruka this period."

"My schedule got switched."

"That's a bad lie to someone who's classroom is right across the guidance counselor. Start heading to Gai's room."

"Seriously? Detention with Gai? That's bordering on cruel and unusual punishment!"

Kakashi was probably smirking now. "Don't get caught then. Oh, and Sasuke, you can join him."

Sasuke stepped through the door, staring at the tall man. His silver hair was gravity defying and messy, a dark gray eye staring right back at him. He wore an navy blue scarf around the lower half of his face, apparently not caring that it was nearing the end of summer. He wore an olive green jacket and black jeans.

"How'd you know I was back there?"

The eye was smiling now. "Call it my amazing ninja skills. Now both of you, off to detention. It'll take you the rest of the period to get to the gym. It's on the other side of the school."


	4. Dangerous

_**Studies and Half-Melodies**_

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything! The song is Ocean Avenue by Yellowcard, When You Were Young by the Killers and My Paper Heart by the All American Rejects.

**Author's Note:** Hey people! I'm currently past my writer's block, so updates are definitely going to be coming faster. I've been reading Obsidian Butterfly, a book that's part of the Anita Blake series. Those books are AMAZING. Seriously, if you get the chance to read them, please do. And I've got a new idea as to a new story, but I want you guys' feedback on the idea first. The idea is that Itachi and Sasuke along with others that I haven't decided yet are in a band and then trouble comes along etc. Thoughts?

-!-!-!-!

"_There had to be a circle of Hell where you were eternally fourteen, eternally in junior high. One of the lower circles."-Anita Blake__** (Bloody Bones)**_

-!-!-!-!

"This is your fault, dobe." Sasuke hissed at him, shoving the mop forcefully into the bucket. He honestly couldn't think of a worse punishment at the present time.

"How's it _my_ fault, teme? That pass was perfectly legit." Naruto remarked, scrubbing at a particularly stubborn streak. Yes ladies and gents, they were stuck cleaning the sneaker streaks from the gym floor. Gai hadn't disappeared, but was outside on the track, coaching the track team. And they couldn't even slack off because there was a window to the track and Gai was keeping them in his peripheral vision.

"That's bull. If it was legit-"

"If it was legit," Naruto interrupted, "I wouldn't be here, but you still would be. So, again, how am I getting blamed for your being here?"

"Because I need someone to pin this on."  
The blonde rolled his eyes. "Real mature."

"You're one to talk."

"I swear to God, teme, I will throw this sponge at you."

Sasuke had a very good leash on his temper nearly all the time, but Naruto seemed to know which buttons to press and they hadn't even known each other that long. Sure, they'd been in each other's classes since elementary, but there was just a vague acquaintanceship there. They'd known who the other was, worked on the occasional project together, but the last project that they'd worked on together was maybe in their first year of middle school. None of those actually counted as _knowing_ each other.

A sound pricked his ears. Humming and even as Sasuke turned to watch, Naruto would do an occasional drum or guitar solo with his hands almost unconsciously as he crossed the gym floor looking for streaks.

The humming changed to an occasional murmured word before Naruto was outright singing. He didn't even seem aware that he was, everything that he did, every step, every streak he cleaned, seemed otherworldly. Not in a graceful kind of way, but kind of like a dancer's. Like he was in his own world and had forgotten about this one, like a trance._  
"There's a piece of you that's here with me,  
It's everywhere I go, it's everything I see  
When I sleep, I dream and it gets me by,  
I can make believe that you're here tonight,  
That you're here tonight."  
_

_If I could find you now  
Things would get better,  
We could leave this town,  
And run forever,  
Let your waves crash down on me  
And take me away, yeah._

_I remember the look in your eyes,  
When I told you that this was goodbye  
You were begging me not tonight,  
Not here,  
Not now.  
We're looking up at the same night sky  
And keep pretending the sun will not rise  
We'll be together for one more night,  
Somewhere, somehow.__"_

"Uzumaki!"

The blonde snapped out of his trance with a visible jolt. His cerulean eyes focused on Ebisu's voice. Ebisu was a lanky man, a little taller than average. His dark glasses were pushed up the bridge of his nose and he wore new jeans that were a dark blue that never stayed that way after a few washes. His shirt was a short sleeve dress shirt that was black with its sharp creases.

"This isn't music class, Uzumaki. This is a punishment and you will act accordingly. You don't see Uchiha doing that, do you?"

"With all due respect, sir," Naruto's tone made it quite clear that there was no respect in his mind, "That's probably a blessing. I think if Sasuke started singing, than we'd all be deaf at the moment and possibly for the rest of our lives."

Ebisu's eyes glared at the blonde, who only smiled back almost mockingly, the smile not entirely reaching his eyes.

"Ebisu-sensei, what brings you here? Are you enjoying these boys' power of youth?"

Naruto and Sasuke both looked over their shoulders at Gai. He was an imposing man, tall and lean with broad shoulders and muscular arms. His jet black hair was in a bowl-cut and his equally black eyebrows were thick above his warm dark eyes. He was always seen wearing green. Usually, much like today, he wore a skin tight long-sleeve shirt and jeans of the exact same shade. Every student (and several teachers) swore he dyed those jeans, because it just wasn't possible to have jeans that bright a green.

"Uzumaki was enjoying a detention. Detentions are not supposed to be enjoyable, Gai."

Gai merely shrugged. "Talk to Kakashi. His detention." Gai motioned Ebisu closer and lowered his voice to a whisper. "And you don't need to speak about Naruto so condescendingly. He is a good student and a good man."

"He is not a man, Gai."

"I'm not going to sit here and try t convince you that he is. That is a matter of opinion. But whether he is now or not, Naruto will certainly grow into a very good man. Much like his father."

Ebisu stepped back, not deeming the comment with a reply. He shot another glare at the blonde before leaving the gym, the door's slam echoing through the room.

Gai took a look around the gym. "It looks like you two did a good job. No surprise, knowing your spirits of youth." Both boys resisted the urge to roll their eyes. It was an old speech. "Go ahead home. I'll take everything back inside."

Naruto let out a relieved sigh and tossed the sponge back into the bucket. His arms hurt a little, but it wasn't bad enough to complain. Sasuke stretched out his back, shoulders feeling a little loose after the work. It hadn't been hard, but there were a lot of streaks. Sasuke would be a pretty penny that they'd been playing basketball today. Sasuke hadn't needed to take PE this year. He'd taken PE last year and it was only required for a year.

Naruto picked the guitar up from where he'd leaned it on the corner wall by Gai's office and leaned it on his shoulder. Just as he was about to leave the room, Gai called, "Naruto, could you tell your aunt that I need to speak with her? It's about Lee."

Naruto nodded. "Sure thing." The blonde didn't actually have a problem with Gai as a teacher. A little exuberant, not that Naruto could talk, and his eyebrows creeped him out, but Gai was okay excluding that.

Sasuke walked past Naruto through the door. He'd said his aunt was a doctor and everyone had heard about Rock Lee's 'accident' involving Gaara. Gaara was from the next school over, and it had gotten out that they'd been training against each other on the track and Gaara had attacked Lee. Lee had been in the hospital for a month now.

Speak of the devil.

Gaara was leaning on the low school wall, hands stuffed in his pockets, red hair vibrant in the setting sun. He was wearing black cargo pants and a black shirt that looked like it had been poured on. The seafoam eyes looked up at Naruto as he pushed himself away from the wall.

Startlingly, Naruto smiled when he saw him, a smile that truly reached his eyes. "Hey, Gaara. What're you doin' around these parts?"

"I heard from Temari that you had detention." Naruto had borrowed Sasuke's cell phone to call Shikamaru (AKA Temari's boyfriend of three and a half months, or so Shikamaru told him) to tell Jiraiya that he was coming home late. Naruto's uncle couldn't figure out texting for the life of him." I was wondering…"He trailed off. Gaara's voice was hoarse and quiet, like he didn't use it often. Naruto had liked it from they very first time he heard it.

Naruto's smile grew gentler. "I think Lee'll appreciate a hospital visit. Teme, wanna come?"

Gaara's eyes met Sasuke's own and the brunette frowned mentally. Why would guy A want to go see guy B who guy A originally put in the hospital? He glanced over at Naruto, who didn't seem to find anything strange about the situation.

"It's fine if you don't. I'm sure you have people to get home to." Gaara told him.

Sasuke hadn't known Lee that well, didn't know anyone at school that well, but something was telling him to go. Sasuke figured it was just protectiveness. What if what happened to Lee happened to Naruto? And while true, the blonde was annoying and a smartass, if he got himself stuck in the hospital, Sasuke wouldn't get tutoring to pass Government.

"…I'll go."

If Naruto shot him a semi-suspicious look, Sasuke ignored it.

-?-?-?-?

Naruto could never understand why people said hospitals were places of healing. The too white walls, floors, everything, didn't seem very healing to him. When Naruto thought of healing, he thought of soft, warm blankets with the occasional hole, of a soft light that illuminated the room just enough so one could read, of honest smiles and maybe watching a movie or two curled up on the couch with his family. The only questionable part of the hospital was whether it was more frightening to the visitors or to the patient.

Lee was a gangly kid, but he was growing into himself. Developing muscles were apparent on his bare arms and his strong-boned face was ablaze with a grin when they all walked in. He looked very similar to Gai, although it had long ago been established that they weren't related.

"Naruto! Gaara!" Lee looked past them at Sasuke. "Sasuke? I am surprised you all came."

"It was your birthday last week, wasn't it? Sorry I missed it." Naruto took a seat at the foot of the hospital bed, setting his guitar between his legs.

Gaara sat on the empty bed next to Lee's. "I…could not make it. My apologies."

"You should know by now that that is fine. I wasn't expecting you all to come at all."

Sasuke sat at the foot of Gaara's bed, mildly uncomfortable in the blindingly white hospital. Although Lee's room had a bit ore color than he would've expected. There was a small vase with about four yellow flowers along with a book that Sasuke had to turn his head sideways to read properly. History of Martial Arts in Movies; interesting. There was also a faded light green blanket on top of the hospital ones.

"Have you written any new songs lately, Naruto?" Lee asked.

"A few. Wanna hear them?"

Lee nodded enthusiastically and Gaara settled back a little more comfortably on the pillow. Naruto set the guitar on his thigh with an easy, practiced move, hands automatically moving to their respective places at the sound hole and the fret board.

"_You sit there in your heartache  
Waiting on some beautiful boy to  
To save you from your old ways  
You play forgiveness  
Watch it now  
Here he comes_

He doesn't look a thing like Jesus  
But he talks like a gentleman"

Sasuke noticed that as he sang, Naruto used his eyes and face to express emotions his voice couldn't. It added to the effect a little, he thought.

_  
__"Like you imagined  
When you were young_

Can we climb this mountain  
I don't know  
Higher now than ever before  
I know we can make it if we take it slow  
Let's take it easy  
Easy now  
Watch it go

We're burning down the highway skyline  
On the back of a hurricane  
That started turning  
When you were young  
When you were young

And sometimes you close your eyes  
And see the place where you used to live  
When you were young

They say the devil's water  
It ain't so sweet  
You don't have to drink right now  
But you can dip your feet  
Every once in a little while

You sit there in your heartache  
Waiting on some beautiful boy to  
To save you from your old ways  
You play forgiveness  
Watch it now  
Here he comes

He doesn't look a thing like Jesus  
But he talks like a gentleman  
Like you imagined  
When you were young  
(talks like a gentleman)  
(like you imagined)  
When you were young

I said he doesn't look a thing like Jesus  
He doesn't look a thing like Jesus  
But more than you'll ever know…" Naruto let the last strum fade into the hospital silence.

Lee clapped as much as he was able. His entire right side had been rendered nearly useless after Gaara attacked him. Gaara clapped quietly as well, his dark rimmed eyes seeming more menacing to Sasuke under the bright hospital lights.

"You said you had a few, Naruto." Gaara reminded him.

"Some of them are still in the works. I think I've got…one more that I'm totally done with.

"_Please just don't play with me  
My paper heart will bleed  
This wait for destiny won't do  
Be with me, please, I beseech you  
Simple things, that make you run away  
Catch you if I can_

Tears fall, down your face  
The taste, is something new  
Something that I know  
Moving on is easiest when I'm around you

So bottle up old love, and throw it out to sea  
Watch it away as you cry  
a year has passed  
The seasons go

Please just don't play with me  
My paper heart will bleed  
This wait for destiny won't do  
Be with me, please, I beseech you  
Simple things, that make you run away  
Catch you if I can

Waiting, day to day it goes through  
My lips are sealed for her  
My tongue is tied to a dream of being with you  
To settle for less is not what I prefer

So bottle up old love, and throw it out to sea  
Watch it away as you cry  
Now a year has passed  
The seasons go

Please just don't play with me  
My paper heart will bleed  
This wait for destiny won't do  
Be with me, please, I beseech you  
Simple things, that make you run away  
Catch you if I can

(Fa Fa Fa la la la Fa Fa Fa la la la Fa Fa Fa La La La)"

Naruto was fighting a grin as he sang the last part, and the smallest of smiles quirked Gaara's lips while Lee full out smiled. __

Summertime, the nights are so long  
The leaves fall down, and so do I into the arms of a friend  
Winter nights  
My bedside is cold, for I am gone  
And spring blossoms you to me

Summertime, the nights are so long  
The leaves fall down, and so do I into the arms of a friend  
Winter nights  
My bedside is cold, for I am gone  
And spring blossoms you...  
To me."

"Those are excellent, Naruto. Fully of your youthly springtime!" Naruto chuckled, accustomed to Lee repeating Gai's catchphrase. "You haven't found a gig yet?"  
Naruto shook his head. "Not yet, but there's a few places downtown that I'm hopeful for."

"Naruto…" The voice was familiar and they all turned to see Tsunade standing in the doorway, arms crossed across her stomach. Sasuke hadn't seen Tsunade since he was a kid, but she hadn't changed much at all.

"I thought you had the morning shift." Naruto explained sheepishly, trying for a smile.

"I got called for double shift. There was a three car accident off the highway." Tsunade turned her attention to Lee. "Any new pains or discomforts?"

Lee shook his head.

"Oh, granny!"

"Dammit, brat I told you not to call me that. I'm only your aunt." There wasn't much fire behind her words. It was an old argument.

Naruto waved it off. "Gai-sensei wanted to talk to you."

"He tell you that in detention?" One of her thin eyebrows rose.

"Ah…you heard about that, huh?"

"Yup. Skipping?"

"I didn't wanna sit through _another_ one of Asuma-sensei's lectures. They get tiring after a while, no offense to him. He looked kinda tired last time I saw him."

"That's not an excuse, Naruto." Tsunade told him as she checked Lee's damaged arm.

"No, but it is a reason."

Tsunade rolled her eyes, but didn't comment further. Naruto would work when he wanted to and still manage good grades at the end. It was how he'd always gotten through school and Tsunade doubted he'd go changing it now.

"Your condition hasn't changed much since yesterday, Lee. I think it's best I go talk to Gai for now. Anything you want me to tell him?"

"Just a hello, please."

She nodded and before she got through the door, she warned, "Visiting hours are over in five minutes."

They all nodded in acknowledgement. Gaara stood. "I think it's best I get going. Daylight's going to scarce soon."

Lee smiled and said, "I hope you come back soon, Gaara."

That surprised Sasuke more than a little, but he didn't comment. Naruto looked at Lee. "Anything I can get you before we go? Another book, maybe?"

"I'll probably be needing more than one tomorrow, if it isn't too much trouble."

"No problem. You want me to just bring a bunch?"

Lee nodded and Naruto hugged him carefully before saying his goodbye. Sasuke nodded his goodbye and they stepped into the hallway. The hallway was less crowded than it had been when they'd arrived, but there would never be a truly abandoned corridor of a hospital.

"Before you say anything," Naruto began, "Don't judge Gaara. It wasn't his fault for what happened. It really was an accident."

"You don't attack someone and leave them in the hospital on accident, Naruto."

"Gaara is a schizophrenic with personality disorder. He's been that way since he was born. He's got good control of it most of the time."

"Most of the time." Sasuke echoed.

"My aunt's working with him, trying to make it controllable. She's working on the theory right now that he needs to spend more time with people, that maybe that's why it developed in the first place."

"You said he was born with it."

"That's not technically true. It's what his father says anytime someone asks. It actually showed itself for the first time when he was six." Naruto was silent for a long while and Sasuke thought he wouldn't say any more when he continued, "He killed his uncle because of it. His uncle was just joking around with him, ya know, playin', but I guess the other personality didn't think so. The uncle was killed with a butcher's knife."

Sasuke looked at him sideways. Naruto looked older than he'd ever seen him; blue eyes darker, face serious and holding the guitar by the neck loosely with the practiced ease that many guitarists get.

"You know all that and you're still so casual with him?"

"He's a good friend of mine, teme." Usually the word was spoken with a teasing or casual tone, but now his eyes flashed up at him dangerously. Sasuke had a feeling that Naruto cared a great deal about his friends. "If you have a problem with it, why'd you come?"

"Would you believe me if I said I don't know?'

"Maybe." Naruto shrugged. "Weird stuff happens a lot, I guess." And just like that, the dangerous look in his bluer than blue eyes was gone. He was the lazy teenager again. The change unnerved Sasuke as they stepped through the main hospital doors.

"I'm this way." Naruto jerked his head to the right. "Talk to you tomorrow, I guess."

Sasuke hn'd a response, heading out the opposite direction. How Naruto figured out which direction he lived was beyond him, but he supposed it didn't matter too much. He was still an idiot.


	5. Falling Madness

_**Studies and Half-Melodies**_

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything!

**Author's Note:** Midterms are over! Hallelujah! I don't think I can stand another period just sitting there staring at a wall. But now comes a four day weekend, so I'll get more chances to update and a day to go skating. Woo! And this is just a warning, there's gonna be more cursing in this chapter than usual.

-!-!-!-!

"_Words will always retain their power. Words offer the means to meaning and, for those who will listen, the enunciation of truth."-V __**(V for Vendetta)**_

-!-!-!-!

Naruto paused in his writing on the board and looked over his shoulder at Sasuke, who raised a questioning eyebrow. Four months of tutoring had gotten them on terms that were better than acquaintance and not quite friendship. There were dark circles under his eyes, and his skin had taken on a pasty pallor. He looked exhausted. Apparently their Winter Break hadn't done him much good.

"I just thought of something. You've got Ebisu second period, right?" At Sasuke's nod, Naruto continued. "That's his AP class. Why're you in AP if you obviously don't want to be in it?"

"What're you talking about, 'obviously'?"

"Bio isn't an AP class. Neither is Geometry. They're just Honors classes. You seem…I'd say happier, but that's not really the word…calmer, that's it. You seem calmer in the Honors classes than with the AP classes."

"Do you ever think that maybe it's because they're harder?"

Naruto studied him. "No. You enjoy a challenge. It's why you like Honors, but AP is overwhelming you, isn't it?"

Sasuke tensed, eyes narrowing to twin slits of obsidian. "It's none of your business."

Naruto leaned on Iruka's desk. "Most things never are."

Sasuke crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair, glaring at the blonde. Damn him for being immune to it!

"You're wondering why I care at all, right?" Naruto guessed.

"I was actually wondering how best to make sure no one ever finds your dead body, but that's a good question too. Why do you care?"

A smirk lit the whiskered face. "For reasons that I shall not make known to you. After all, it's not any of your business, is it?"

Sasuke clenched his teeth. "And why would you say that?"

"Because you're supposed to be the good son, the one who got stuck watching his older brother's back and is now stuck in that position. That's why you're in AP classes, even though you hate them. Am I getting warmer?" The question was posed with an innocent tone, but the sapphire eyes were dead serious and maybe a tad bit frustrated.

Sasuke stood up abruptly, spilling the books in his lap to the floor. "My reasons are none of your damn business."

Naruto caught his arm as he started to walk away. "Don't try that now, teme. It's breaking you, I can tell."

"I'm fine." Sasuke's voice was tense and he didn't meet the blonde's eyes. Those damned eyes that saw everything.

The hand on his arm tightened involuntarily and Sasuke suppressed a wince. Naruto was stronger than he looked. "_Don't_ fucking lie to me, okay? You're a friend to me, Sasuke, alright? I don't like to see my friends hurting."

"I'm _not._"

"That's bull! I'm not blind and, contrary to popular theory, I'm not stupid. How much sleep are you getting?"

"Six hours." Sasuke lied. Winter break had ended three weeks ago. He hadn't been able to sleep more than, tops, two hours for the last week. Semester exams and midterms were taking its toll on him. He wasn't the only one, there were other students looking just as haggard.

Naruto frowned at what he could see of Sasuke's profile, letting the anger cool down as much as he could. "Don't lie to me, teme. You're getting way less than that. Three, two hours?"  
Sasuke tried to tug his arm free of Naruto's grip. Damn, what did the blonde do other than play guitar that got him that strength? "If I tell you, will you let me go?"

"Honest answer? Probably, at best."

Sasuke would take whatever he could get right now. "Fine. Less than two for the past week."

The grip loosened, but not enough for Sasuke to break free. "What's keeping you awake?"

Sasuke didn't answer, suddenly finding the carpet patterns riveting.  
"I wanna help you ,Sasuke. You've gotta let me in."

Silence.

"Stubborn, snarly bastard." Naruto growled. "Did you try over the counter sleeping pills?"

Sasuke gave him an odd look and Naruto rolled his eyes. "Remember my aunt? I used to…get…I know what's wrong. You get nightmares, don't you? And they come back during stress."

The muscles beneath Naruto's hand stiffened before Sasuke fiercely twisted his arm free. His eyes were glaring and he was half turned away from Naruto, shoulders taut with tension. Naruto recognized the position, had seen it so many times. Medics called it a defensive position. Naruto knew it was more than defensive.

Sasuke concentrated on a spot just above the blonde's right shoulder, unable to meet those eyes. Naruto saw right through it all and that scared Sasuke more than he'd ever admit. He couldn't let anyone in. Last time…

_Foolish…Anger cutting him…hands black with soot, ash and burns…a child who wasn't a child…black, white and red candles…was he okay?…Forgive me…what had he done?...Was he well?...Bruyére…spiraling…forgive me…forgive who?...I'm sorry…falling, screaming…foolish…forgive me…__**what had he done?**_

Naruto had taken a hesitant step forward, but he froze. Sasuke had crossed his arms and was holding onto them like they were the last sane thing in this world. Maybe they were. The onyx eyes flinched away when they met his gaze for the briefest second. What was wrong?

"…Teme." Naruto tested softly.

Sasuke couldn't meet his eyes. _Tears…why was someone crying?..._ God but it hurt. A ghostly hand was gripping his chest hard enough to hurt, hard enough for him to have trouble breathing. Sasuke made a break for the door, the rather spacious music room giving him a claustrophobic feeling, the locker-lined walls closing in, that high ceiling falling…_falling, screaming…_And the only thing not moving was the pair of sapphire eyes floating through the entire madness.


	6. Nightmare Trust

_**Studies and Half-Melodies**_

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything!

**Author's Note:** The info on the phobia is from Wikipedia.

-!-!-!-!

"_You walked the roads of madness to find her and lead her back to sanity—at least as far as she can come."_

"_Yes."_

"_Didn't you think—Didn't it occur to you that it might be dangerous?"  
"Dangerous? No. It's just a different way of seeing, Daemon." –Daemon and Jaenelle__** (Black Jewels Trilogy-Daughter of the Blood)**_

-!-!-!-!

He'd disappeared. No one had seen Uchiha Sasuke since the last tutoring session a week ago. Naruto knew it was his fault, knew that he'd disappeared because he'd pushed too hard. No one questioned his asking for a pass to the library during class. How could they? The teachers all knew that he was an exceptionally bright student and that, if he wanted to, he could pass all of his classes with an incredible amount of ease. The other students, save for maybe Shikamaru, thought there was something not quite right with him. No one would ever connect the two.

The words on the computer screen had begun to blend together and Naruto shook his head quickly to clear his mind. He'd been researching for the week since Sasuke had disappeared. Normally, he would've asked Tsunade, but this issue would be more personal than Tsunade would know.

Naruto frowned at an old piece of information, buried very deep. He remembered a time when Sasuke hadn't gone to school, hadn't been seen, for nearly two years. That had been back in elementary school. Everyone had assumed he moved. But according to this…registry, if he could call it that…

Bruyére-a hospital for emotionally disturbed children. It was far out into the country, a place where no one would ask questions. But the place had been shut down about four years ago. All of the doctors had "mysteriously disappeared." Naruto knew that that wasn't all of it. A plain old hospital wouldn't cause that kind of mental distress, even if it was an asylum. Naruto pulled up another window, typing in the name of the head doctor in the search box.

Dr. Orochimaru; Naruto only had to see a picture of him to hate him on the spot. Whiter than white skin that seemed stretched over his skull like a gruesome mask with long charcoal hair and gold eyes that glittered like jewels glittered, with no warmth. The rest of the page made Naruto snarl at the screen; grown up in the country, lost his parents-one by suicide the other had left and never come back, he'd gone to public school and had graduated with the highest honors along with two other students. Here, Naruto's eyes grew wide. Jiraiya and Tsunade's faces were in the picture, standing on either side of the thin teenager that Orochimaru had been. The three had gone onto the local University then, each one focusing on something different. Tsunade was going for her Doctorate in Medicine, Jiraiya in Creative Writing with a minor in Anthropology, and Orochimaru with a Doctorate in Psychological Medicine.

Orochimaru had taken on two interns in his entire career-Mitarashi Anko and Yakushi Kabuto. Anko had been released early from her internship for unknown reasons. Naruto knew that that was a complete lie. He knew Anko. She'd been in Tsunade's care enough and had been the other PE teacher before she'd quit. Anko hadn't been totally sane. She stayed within spitting distance of sanity most days, but there were some days that she wouldn't show up and when he asked Gai, the older man would tell him that his aunt would know more about it.

Kabuto, however, had completed his internship and had worked at Bruyére as a doctor. He looked pretty normal by most standards, silver hair pulled back into a ponytail, his face young and lightly tanned. It was his eyes that made Naruto suspicious. Something about the coal black eyes behind his glasses unsettled him.

The next portion of information disturbed him. Orochimaru had lost his license to practice medicine because of a group of alarming experiments done on several of the patients at Bruyére. One of the few survivors had reported, "To each will get what they gave." Those had been her last words because she rendered herself mute. The doctors couldn't figure out what was wrong with her. And then came the list of patients and about halfway down was the name Uchiha Sasuke. He'd spent nearly two years there before he was released with medicine to control the stress-related mental illnesses.

Naruto frowned. Those were only the facts. He needed the story behind it all, needed to know what, exactly, had happened to Sasuke to make those nightmares so disturbing and what had caused his reaction.

Naruto exited the window, searching instead on a medical website that Tsunade had told him about. From what Naruto remembered from the medical books that he'd read when there was truly nothing else to read, often when he was stuck in the hospital afterhours with Tsunade, some of what Sasuke had done could be part of a social phobia. He typed in 'social phobia' and clicked on a promising link.

_Social anxiety disorder is a persistent fear of one or more situations in which the person is exposed to possible scrutiny by others and fears that he or she may do something or act in a way that will be humiliating or embarrassing. It exceeds normal "shyness" as it leads to excessive social avoidance and substantial social or occupational impairment. Feared activities may include almost any type of social interaction, especially small groups, dating, parties, talking to strangers, restaurants, etc._

_Physiological effects, similar to those in other anxiety disorders, are present in social phobics. Faced with an uncomfortable situation, children with social anxiety may display tantrums, weeping, clinging to parents, and shutting themselves out_

The last part of the last sentence described Sasuke to a T. So did the first paragraph. So far it could be what Sasuke had been admitted for, but having read what Orochimaru was like and what that hospital had been like, he doubted it.

_It has been shown that there is a two to threefold greater risk of having social phobia if a first-degree relative also has the disorder. This could be due to genetics and/or due to children acquiring social fears and avoidance through processes of observational learning or parental psychosocial education__. Children appear more likely to develop social anxiety disorder if their parents emphasize the importance of other's opinions and use __shame__ as a disciplinary strategy._ _Research has indicated the role of 'core' or 'unconditional' negative beliefs (e.g. I am inept) and 'conditional' beliefs nearer to the surface (e.g. If I show myself, I will be rejected)._

And Naruto had pushed him right over that final edge, had pushed him so far that any memories he had of being in that damned hospital were coming back. One last thing to look up-Sasuke's address so he could get some sense into his snarly head.

-?-?-?-?

The knocks were loud in the quiet, although something in his mind told him that it wasn't loud. In reality, the knocks were quiet. Sasuke didn't get up, didn't think he could. There was some mild cursing and the doorknob jiggled. After about a minute of rapid jiggling the lock clicked and the door opened, the crack between it and the doorframe spilling yellow light into the otherwise dark room.

The sapphire eyes seemed to float in the darkness before the rest of Naruto hesitantly slipped into the room. "Sasuke?"

No reply, not that the blonde had been expecting one. He ran his hands along the wall, searching for the light switch by feel. He found one and it lit the apartment. Blinking from the rapid change, he saw that the light switch was for the kitchen, which had just enough room for one and lit the living room and hallway and illuminated a figure sitting on the windowsill with its knees drawn up to its chest and arms wrapped around them.

"Sasuke, it's me."

"I know." The words were spoken so calmly that Naruto nearly forgot everything he'd read. His voice was rusty, as if he hadn't spoken for a long time. He probably hadn't even uttered a sound in the week he'd been gone. "You did all the research, didn't you?"

Naruto approached him carefully, staying a good foot away. "Yes." Now wasn't the time to lie.

"Did you know that in…that place…they didn't have windows? Every room was a cage. And when I walked out of there for the last time and took a look around, I wondered why they had to be cages. The land around the place was…"

"Beautiful?" Naruto suggested.

"Mm."

"Sasuke…" God, but did he really want to ask the question that might make the brunette hate him? "I need to know what they did to you."

"Why?"  
"Because keeping it to yourself like this isn't going to help you. You're stronger than that. You can push past that place and those people, but you have to trust me." A moment of trust. That was all it would take for him to be able to help Sasuke out of that terrible spiral down that he'd taken.

Sasuke uncurled from the windowsill and Naruto studied the half-starved body on which rumpled clothes that looked like he hadn't changed out of them for several days hung. He noted the bruised, exhausted eyes and ground his teeth. He'd never met someone so indifferent to their wellbeing.

Maybe Sasuke's voice wasn't rusty from disuse but hoarse from screaming himself awake every night.

"You don't need to look at me like that." Sasuke told him quietly.

"Like what?"

"Like you pity me."

"It's not pity more than anger at those bastards."

"They're all dead."

"You know that for a fact?"

"Yes."

"How?"

"I wasn't the only survivor."

Naruto wasn't sure whether he meant Buryére or the fire that had killed the Uchiha mansion. He said so.

"Both. Eight years ago," Sasuke covered his cough with a hand and Naruto saw specks of blood on his palm.

"Hold it for a minute." Naruto interrupted. He crossed the room into the kitchen and found a clean glass, filling it to the brim with water. "Drink." He ordered.  
Sasuke lifted his eyes to meet Naruto's and the blonde felt relief fill him when the brunette didn't flinch away. He took the glass and downed it in one gulp.

"Now say it." Naruto told him, leaning on the arm of the couch.

"Eight years ago, when that fire burned down our house, my brother, Itachi, and I were the only survivors." Sasuke's voice had lost some of its rustiness. "Itachi got sent to…that place, almost right away. It took them another year to get to me. By that time, Itachi was long gone.

"The place looked like a hospital. All white walls and sharp corners. There was so much blood there. It never goes away. The words never go away. Lies are true and truth is punished. They called us bad children. Sick-mind children to make up such lies." Sasuke spat the words out, like they left a bad taste in his mouth. And maybe they did. "Do you trust your instincts, Naruto?"

"Mmhmm. But on this, I trust yours more."

"Maybe you shouldn't."

When he'd been trapped in that 'hospital', Sasuke's instincts had been brutalized until he no longer trusted them. He had doubted himself so much over the years, but hadn't wanted to admit it—just in case someone told him it wasn't real.

"I trust you, Sasuke. I don't care if other people do or don't, but my instincts are telling me that it's okay to trust you."

The onyx eyes looked straight at him. "And if your instincts are wrong?" He asked softly.

"Then they're wrong. Being wrong won't kill me, Sasuke. I'm harder to kill than that."

"Why do you say that?"

Naruto smiled, but it wasn't a happy one. "Before I lived with Tsunade and Jiraiya, I lived in an orphanage. Kids in that orphanage hated me. The owner though, guy named Sarutobi, was a good enough guy. But he was killed one day while we were having our lessons. They never found out who did it.

"The next owner was the biggest son of a whore you would ever see. He hated me on the spot. Beat me when the teachers weren't looking, tried to make me break. It's always interesting to break the strong ones, he said, because the strong ones almost demand that you hurt them. One day he got a little too carried away and broke a rib or two. I had to get sent to the hospital and the doctor on call that night was Tsunade. She figured out what was going on, remembered who I was, and she got me out of that place."

"You surprise me."

The smile shone from the tan face. It was a true one. "I'm glad I can still do that." The small faded a little. "But, Sasuke…let my aunt help you. She can make the nightmares go away."

"Did she do that to you?" Sasuke asked quietly.

"How'd you figure it out?"

"When you figured out about my nightmares, you said that you used to get and then you trailed off."

"Huh. So I did." Naruto shrugged and stuffed his hands into his pockets. "Can I expect to see you Monday?"  
For tutoring, to get you some help. But the latter wasn't meant like the doctors meant, like he was dangerous. It was meant as concern.

"…Yeah. I think so."

Naruto was at the door before he said over his shoulder, "If you're not, I'm coming here." And bringing help with him.

"Wouldn't expect you to do otherwise."


	7. Come Monday

_**Studies and Half-Melodies**_

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything! The songs are Be My Escape by Reliant K and Memory by Sugarcult. Some lines in here are from City of Bones, which I just finished reading recently. Now I need to find the next one….

**Author's Note:**

-!-!-!-!

"_A good friend is a connection to life - a tie to the past, a road to the future, the key to sanity in a totally insane world." ~Lois Wyse_

-!-!-!-!

Monday morning brought a chill wind to a cool, cloudy day. It was the first week of February, an interesting months by anyone's standards. Already, Naruto could head the whispers of the girls' about Valentine's Day, a day that Naruto was considering about skipping. The girls got _scary_ on that day.

It was early still, however, and Shikamaru pretended not to notice Naruto's eyes constantly straying to the main gates as they all sat outside. Kiba and Ino were betting on the results of their midterms and Naruto had been strumming at his guitar all morning, but his eyes hadn't been on the guitar.

Shikamaru reached out and shook the blonde's arm. Naruto blinked several times before looking at him. Naruto sat on the table with his feet on the bench. "Something wrong?" the brunette asked.

Naruto smiled, and Shikamaru could tell it wasn't entirely honest. "Just thinking of the new song I wrote a few nights ago."

Kiba turned to him. "Can we hear it? Or is it not done?"

"Nah, it's done."

"Then play it man!"

Naruto laughed. "Fine, fine. Be a pushy bastard." He took a moment to collect himself, a few deep breaths and Naruto's attention was entirely on the guitar in his hands, on the feel of the nylon strings and the whispering of his fingers on the fret board.

_I've given up on giving up slowly,_

_I'm blending in so you won't even know me _

_Apart from this whole world that shares my fate_

_This one last bullet you mention is m__y one last shot at redemption  
Because I know to live you must give your life away  
_

_And I've been housing all this doubt and insecurity and  
I've been locked i__nside that house all the while you hold the key  
And I've been dying to get out and that might be the death of me  
And even though, there's no way in knowing where to go, promise I'm going because  
I gotta get outta here  
I'm stuck inside this rut that I fell into by mistake  
I gotta get outta here  
And I'm begging you, I'm begging you, I'm begging you to be my escape._

I'm giving up on doing this alone now  
Cause I've failed and I'm ready to be shown how  
He's told me the way and I'm trying to get there  
And this life sentence that I'm serving  
I admit that I'm every bit deserving  
But the beauty of grace is that it makes life not fair"  


Naruto seemed to sense something in the air change, because even while he continued to play and sing, his eyes traveled up to look at the gates, where a pale person was walking. The person was huddled in a black jacket and dark blue jeans, his black sneakers seeming very dark against the lighter colors of the sidewalk and the brown grass. Obsidian and cerulean met before Naruto smiled slightly and looked back down, refocusing his attention on the song.

"_Cause I've been housing all this doubt and insecurity and  
I've been locked inside that house all the while You hold the key  
And I've been dying to get out and that might be the death of me  
And even though, there's no way in knowing where to go, promise I'm going because  
I gotta get outta here  
Cause I'm afraid that this complacency is something I can't shake  
I gotta get outta here  
And I'm begging You, I'm begging You, I'm begging You to be my escape._

I am a hostage to my own humanity  
Self detained and forced to live in this mess I've made  
And all I'm asking is for You to do what You can with me  
But I can't ask You to give what You already gave

Cause I've been housing all this doubt and insecurity and  
I've been locked inside that house all the while you hold the key  
And I've been dying to get out and that might be the death of me  
And even though, there's no way in knowing where to go, promise I'm going because  
I've gotta get outta here  
I'm stuck inside this rut that I fell into by mistake  
I've gotta get outta here  
And I'm begging You, I'm begging You, I'm begging You to be my escape.

I fought You for so long  
I should have let You in  
Oh how we regret those things we do  
And all I was trying to do was save my own skin  
But so were You

So were You…"

Kiba whistled lowly. "That was freaking amazing, Naruto. How long did it take you to come up with that?"

Naruto remembered writing it, remembered sitting down after he'd gone home that night that he'd talked to Sasuke and seeing the clock read 9:47. He remembered picking up the pen and the next few hours that he wrote were an enormous blank because when he looked at the clock when he leaned back and stretched, it read 12:32.

"Three hours." Naruto told him. It wasn't a lie. He just couldn't remember actually thinking about writing that song. The words had just spilled from his mind to the pen and flowed onto the paper. And he still had the rough draft at home and there were no rough scratch-outs or editing. It had been a clean sheet of paper.

Naruto could see the dark shadow that was Sasuke settling down under the shade of a tree. He was close enough to hear any conversations, but far away enough that he didn't seem suspicious. Sasuke pulled out a heavy looking book from his bag, opened up to a bookmarked page and began reading, although Naruto was willing to bet that his attention was only partially on the book.

"C'mon, Naruto. There's time for one more song. Anything else new?" Ino asked, arms crossed on the table.

Naruto pretended to think. "Weeeelll….there is the one…"

"Naruto!" Ino glared playfully and he laughed.

"Alright. There is this one."

"_This may never start.  
We could fall apart.  
And I'd be your memory.  
Lost your sense of fear  
Feelings insincere  
Can I be your memory?_

So get back, back, back to where we lasted  
Just like I imagine  
I could never feel this way  
So get back, back, back to the disaster  
My heart's beating faster  
Holding on to feel the same"

Sasuke could tell that Naruto really did love performing. The blonde was an expressive person normally, but when he performed, everything, every emotion and thought, came to the surface. The summer-sky eyes shone unnaturally and every song seemed to be talking to someone, somebody different every time. Sasuke wondered who he was talking to this time, which of his important people had been on his mind when he sat down and wrote this. __

This may never start  
I'll tear us apart  
Can I be your enemy?  
Losing half a year  
Waiting for you here  
I'd be your anything

So get back, back, back to where we lasted  
Just like I imagine  
I could never feel this way  
So get back, back, back to the disaster  
My heart's beating faster  
Holding on to feel the same

This may never start  
Tearing out my heart  
And I'd be your memory  
Lost your sense of fear  
(I'd be your memory  
Feelings disappeared  
Can I be your memory?

So get back, back, back to where we lasted  
Just like I imagine  
I could never feel this way  
So get back, back, back to the disaster  
My heart's beating faster  
Holding on to feel the same

This may never start  
We could fall apart  
And I'd be your memory  
Lost your sense of fear  
Feelings insincere  
Can I be your memory?"

"Uzumaki." The voice was hoarse, but not unkind. Naruto looked up and saw their Health teacher, Gekko Hayate. He wasn't a very tall man, nor a very distinctive one. Naruto knew a lot of words for brown—mahogany, russet, chestnut, but none came to mind when he looked at Hayate's hair. It was just brown. His eyes were a very dark brown as well, nearly black. He wore a bandana with the logo for a local kendo school, a dark green T-shirt and faded blue jeans. He always had a chronic cough and always looked really tired, but no one complained of his teachings skills.

Naruto looked at him curiously. "Something wrong, sensei?"

"No, but I was wondering if you'd thought about broadcasting that talent of yours."  
"What, with my guitar?"

Hayate nodded.

"Well, I'm lookin' for some gigs, but other than that, not much."

A slight smile lit up the older man's face, making him look years younger. "Try out for the talent show. You might get lucky."

Naruto blinked. "Uh…okay."

Hayate nodded, hands still shoved in his pocket, and walked away to join a substitute teacher that subbed often at their school, Genma. Genma usually had a toothpick stuck in his mouth for some off reason, but no one commented on it much.

"You've never joined the talent show." Shikamaru remarked from his position with his head cradled in his arms, looking sideways at Naruto.

Naruto shrugged. "Maybe I should this year."

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow, but didn't say anything more.

-?-?-?-?

"Glad you showed up." Naruto remarked as he washed the dissection tools.

Sasuke looked at him. "Since I was stuck dealing with you either way…"

"Ya know, most psychologists agree that hostility is just sublimated sexual attraction."

"That might explain why I so often meet people who seem to dislike me." Sasuke replied mildly.

Naruto chuckled. "You're already going back to your old self, teme." He smiled up at him and Sasuke felt something in him jerk at the peaceful smile. "That's a good sign."

-?-?-?-?

"You guys are on speaking terms outside of tutoring?" Shikamaru asked as they stood in the far too long lunch line.

"You don't sound surprised."

"I'm not. Just curious. I thought you guys hated each other. Always arguing and stuff and that's been going on since elementary school."

Naruto grinned. "We just decided it's suppressed sexual tension."

"I don't wanna know."

The blonde studied the chicken on his plate. Or rather, what the school called chicken. "Does this look edible to you?"  
"Edible, yes. Healthy or without food poisoning, no."

"Figures. And I had so hoped that there would be a decent lunch today." Naruto stood on his toes to reach an apple in the basket. His fingers were inches away.

Shikamaru smirked. "Need some help?"

The blue eyes glared. "_No._ I am perfectly capable of reaching my own apple. Make sure my lunch doesn't fall, please."

The brunette obliged, holding each other their lunches in a hand. Naruto took a step back before jumping up and grabbing an apple, stumbling into the wall behind them as he landed.

"Very graceful." Shikamaru commented.

"Sarcasm is the last refuge of the imaginatively bankrupt."

"I can't help it! I use my incredible wit to hide my terrible inner pain."

-?-?-?-?

Naruto leaned comfortably on the wall outside the music room. He had a hunch that Sasuke would come here. And his hunch didn't betray him. Naruto looked Sasuke over. His skin was slowly regaining its natural paleness. There were still smudges beneath his eyes and there was a tired look to his eyes, but Naruto knew that that was normal. He'd been the same way. Sasuke was still on the wrong side of thin, but the weight was coming back. Naruto made a mental note to bring him a burger, fries and a milkshake. He needed it. Maybe some ramen too, but Naruto had a feeling Sasuke wouldn't much like ramen.

Sasuke stopped in front of him, hands in his pockets. His clothes were loose on his frame, pants low on his hips; the look of someone who had dropped the weight far too fast to be healthy.

"Different tutoring, teme. You're coming home with me so my aunt can figure out what to do with you."

"She knows about this?"

"Nope. But she's more likely to help you if she finds out now."

"You're gonna get yourself killed one day."

Naruto didn't reply, pushing himself off of the wall. "We might wanna start walking. It's gonna take us a good half hour."

Sasuke suppressed a groan. "_Won_derful."


	8. Steps Forward

_**Studies and Half-Melodies**_

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything! The song is In Too Deep by Sum 41.

**Author's Note:** Ugh. PE is such a pain. It's not hard, just kidna unnecessary. But, after this year, I never have to take it again. Woohoo!

-!-!-!-!

"_Friends are relatives you make for yourself." ~Eustache Deschamps_

-!-!-!-!

"I'm home!" Naruto called, toeing his shoes off.

"Tell the world, brat." Jiraiya muttered, but there was a smile on his face. He was a tall man with broad shoulders. His white hair (It had been like that since birth, he swore) was held back in a loose ponytail and his tanned face had two red tattoos like tear tracks on them. His coal eyes were warm as he greeted them. He wore an old pair of sweats and a too big navy blue Walt Disney World T-shirt.

"I love you too, pervert." Naruto replied, smiling.

Jiraiya laughed and looked Sasuke over. "Uchiha kid, right?"

"Yes."

"Monosyllabic answers. Definitely an Uchiha."

Naruto flashed him a grin before asking, "Ne, teme, you want something to eat?"

"**Don't** feed him ramen, brat. I'm cooking tonight."

Blonde eyebrows rose in disbelief. "Seriously?"

"Is that so hard to believe?"

"Yes." A feminine voice came from behind them. The teenagers turned and watched as Tsunade slipped off her jacket and hung it on a hook. "The last time I remember you cooking was when we first moved into this apartment."

The hazel eyes took Sasuke in, looking him over with a trained medic's eye. "Let me guess, Naruto brought you so I could examine you?"

Sasuke nodded.

Tsunade glanced at the clock and sighed. "Might as well start before dinner. Shirt off."

Sasuke's eyes widened and he backed up a few steps. Naruto touched Tsunade on the shoulder and whispered something in her ear. Tsunade nodded and her hazel eyes looked at him sadly. "So you got stuck in there as well."

Sasuke nodded a little uncertainly.

Tsunade was in full doctor mode now. "Do you go blank a lot of the time? An abnormally fast heart rate, do you blush when you know there's no reason to, constant stomach aches?"

"In order; not really, sometimes, sometimes, no." Sasuke replied.

"Any excessive sweating, nausea, shaking? Anything abnormal?"

"None of those. I get dizzy sometimes, and a little claustrophobic, but that's it."

"Hm. You're not as bad off as you could be. You can take your pick of two ways I can help-psychotherapy or some medicine."

"…Can I try the medicine for a little bit?"

Tsunade nodded. "Sure. I can get them to you by tomorrow."

"Dinner!" Jiraiya called.

Naruto tried to peer over the tall man's shoulder, but he barely reached Jiraiya's shoulder blades. "Ne, granny, can't you find me something that'll make me grow?"

"Sorry, shorty." Tsunade said, grinning as she ruffled his hair, "You gotta accept the fact that you're just gonna be short."

"No way! I gotta at least break six feet."

"Good luck with that, dobe." Sasuke commented, not entirely sure what he should be doing. He wasn't used to a family setting.

The blonde turned and stuck his tongue out at him. Sasuke noticed how it made him look incredibly young. Neither of them was old by anyone's standards, but something about Naruto's action made him just seem like a true child again.

"You can start setting the table." Tsunade told him, pointing to a stack of plastic plates.

Sasuke obeyed and began to count out four plates. He got frustrated when some stuck together and Naruto laughed, helping him out. Jiraiya watched through the reflection on the microwave, which sat just above the stove and he hid a smile.

Tsunade spooned out the portions of rice and beef stew while Naruto set out drinks. Cans of soda for him and Sasuke while Naruto pouted at the ratio of meat to vegetables on his plate, but had learned not to complain. As the two teenagers sat down to eat, Jiraiya gently caught Tsunade by the elbow.

"So…why aren't you insisting that the kid do the psychotherapy? It's better for him than the medicine." He asked lowly.

"Because look at them. Naruto's already doing the psychotherapy without either of them realizing it. Maybe they do realize it, but I don't think either of them knows how much good its doing."

"…Maybe they do. Naruto's always had good instincts for these things."

Tsunade looked over at the teenagers. They were arguing over something, but there was no anger in either of them. They seemed like best friends sitting there, arguing in that superficial way that meant nothing to the world, but it was a basis for their relationship. Sasuke said something that made Naruto choke on his can of Sprite. Naruto put the can down, face sopping, but a grin on his face. And while Sasuke didn't smile (No one expected him to) there was something about him that said there was nowhere he'd rather be.

- ? - ? - ? - ?

"So you are going to enter the talent show." Shikamaru remarked.

It was lunchtime on a Friday and Naruto was sitting outside with half of a foot long Subway sub in one hand and the entry pamphlet for the talent show in the other. Naruto swallowed down a bite of the sub and smiled. "Yup."

"I thought you were kidding."

"Nah. It could be fun. Besides, the opportunity's not really for me."

"What're you talking about?"

Naruto smiled mischievously. "You'll see if you go."

"You're too good at getting people to do those kinds of things. You could've just asked, but no. You have to scheme your way through it."

"That's an insult to my honor."

"What honor?"

"Too far, sir, too far." Naruto flicked a slice of pickle at him.

Shikamaru ducked, letting the pickle splatter onto the concrete. "But seriously, Naruto, for the talent show, you need a song one of us has heard before."

"I know that, Shika. I have a song. I wrote it a while ago."

"And you never showed us?"

"It's a duet." Naruto explained.

Shikamaru's eyes widened. "A duet, huh? With who?"

Naruto gave him a shrug that meant everything and nothing and smirked.

"Fine, do I know them?"  
"You might."

"You're frustrating."

"So I've been told frequently and with great vigor. But, to appease your frustration, I have a song!"

Shikamaru settled back while Naruto wiped his mustard stained hands on a paper towel. He reached behind him for the guitar that had been christened as his by Iruka. He positioned his fingers and took a deep breath, holding it for about five seconds before letting it out, and beginning to play.

"_The faster were falling,  
Were stopping and stalling.  
Were running in circles again  
Just as things were looking up  
You said it wasn't good enough.  
But still we're trying one more time._

Maybe were just trying too hard.  
When really its closer than it is too far

Cause I'm in too deep, and I'm trying to keep,  
Up above in my head, instead of going under.  
Cause I'm in too deep, and I'm trying to keep,  
Up above in my head, instead of going under.  
Instead of going under.

Seems like each time  
I'm with you I lose my mind,  
Because I'm bending over backwards to relate.  
It's one thing to complain  
But when you're driving me insane  
Well then I think it's time that we took a break.

Maybe we're just trying too hard.  
When really its closer than it is too far

Cause I'm in too deep, and I'm trying to keep,  
Up above in my head, instead of going under.  
Cause I'm in too deep, and I'm trying to keep,  
Up above in my head, instead of going under.  
Instead of going under.  
Instead of going under.

I can't sit back and wonder why.  
It took so long for this to die.  
And I hate it when you fake it.  
You can't hide it you might as well embrace it.  
So believe me its not easy.  
It seems that something's telling me,

Cause I'm in too deep, and I'm trying to keep,  
Up above in my head, instead of going under.  
Cause I'm in too deep, and I'm trying to keep,  
Up above in my head, instead of going under.  
Instead of going under.  
Instead of going under.

Instead of going under again.  
Instead of going under.  
Instead of going under again.  
Instead of going under again"

Shikamaru clapped quietly before smirking. "Out of curiosity…who were you thinking of when you wrote that?"

Naruto shrugged. "I dunno. It just kinda…comes to me. Why?"

"I told you it was for curiosity's sake."

"Mmhmm."

-? - ? - ? - ? - ?

Gaara blinked in surprise at the blonde sitting comfortably outside the hospital. Naruto turned when he heard the soft sound of the doors opening and smiled at the redhead.

"Hey, Gaara. How was Lee?"

"He was fine. Tsunade's getting closer to finding a way for him to regain use of his leg and arm." But Naruto already knew that, so why was he here?

"That's good news…Listen, Gaara…you know how to play piano, right?"

Gaara frowned ever so slightly, but nodded.

"Do…D'ya think that you could help me out with a performance next week? It's for the talent show."

"…Sure."


	9. Tutors Check Yes

_**Studies and Half-Melodies**_

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything! The songs are The Last Night by Skillet and Check Yes Juliet by We the Kings.

**Author's Note:** I've never been to or been in a talent show, so I'm just kind of winging it there. And PE is a biatch, seriously. And karate mixed with that is brutal, but I guess I'm just stubborn about it. I have finally watched all of She's the Man (I only previously saw it in parts) and I hafta say, it is one of my favorite movies now.

_Blah—_Naruto

Blah—Hinata

_Blah--_Both

-!-!-!-!

"_Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs build the ark and experts built the Titanic." –Anonymous_

-!-!-!-!

"Does the medicine taste that bad that you have to give it that look?"

Sasuke turned from the sink in the nurse's office to look at Naruto. As far as he could see, there wasn't anything wrong with the blonde. No bruises, bumps, cuts and he still had his normal skin color.

"I don't like taking medicine." Sasuke told him, grimacing before he knocked his head back, swallowing the pill.

"I can see that." Naruto sat on one of the squishy couch/beds that were always seen in nurse's offices. Sasuke had gotten better over the last week. He'd had some insomnia and a lot of headaches while his body adjusted to the medicine, but he was definitely looking better. The dark circles under his eyes could still be seen if you looked closely, but they had nearly disappeared. His clothes were beginning to fit like they used to and while sometimes, he would show discomfort, especially in small rooms, the reaction was more subdued.

"What's wrong with you?"

Naruto brought his knees to his chest, resting his cheek on his kneecaps. "The talent show's tonight."

"I thought that was a good thing for you."

"It is. But I have to perform in front of all those people."

"You've done that before. I've seen you."

"I suffer from a mild case of glossophobia." At Sasuke's confused look, Naruto added, "Stage fright."

Sasuke sat across from him in the nurse's chair. She'd gone out to lunch. "I'd never be able to tell."

"Kinda the point. And it only happens before a big thing like this."

"And you still wanna become a famous musician?"

"I wanna get over the stage fright. I don't wanna have to deal with it all my life. And I love music too much to be able to let go of it, so I figured being a famous musician would let me do something I love while solving my problem."

"The nurse knows?"

"Yeah. Before things like this, she lets me chill here. It helps calm me down a bit."

"Why? It smells like a doctor's office."

"I grew up with a doctor. That smell is really familiar now. And it's better than inside the classrooms."  
Sasuke didn't totally agree, but…"Fair enough. But why'd you enter the talent show if you knew this was going to happen?"

"The opportunity's not for me. I got some friends who want to get into the big time but they have more stage fright than I do. And I know that if I can talk them into it, they'll do fine."

"So you're going to do something you don't totally want to do because it's a good opportunity for your friends?"

"Yup."

"You will never make any sense to me."

"That makes me feel that much better, teme."

"And you have a new song for the show?"

"Mmhmm."

"This should be interesting."

"You're gonna go?"

"I might."

A smile beamed across Naruto's face. "See you at the show, teme."

- ~ - - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~

"There's a lot of people out there." Gaara reported.

Naruto suppressed a groan at the news as he looked at the redhead. Gaara wore a white T-shirt with a black jacket over it, baggy dark blue jeans low on his hips. The red hair made him stand out even more when he dressed like that.

"Don't tell Hinata. If we tell her, she'll freak."

"Tell me what?"

Both boys turned to the soft voice. Hinata had been home-schooled her entire life. She was pale in the way Sasuke and Gaara were pale—natural and creamy rather than sickly. She had black hair that she'd highlighted with blue streaks for the night and it fell to the small of her back and she'd let it loose. She wore a black polo shirt with streaks of purple across it with a red miniskirt over jeans that were the light blue of too many washes.

"Nothing." Naruto lied easily, smiling at her. She'd liked him once upon a time, but as they got older, the attention shifted, although Naruto promised he wouldn't tell who.

"I grew up with you, Naruto. I can tell when you're lying." That much was true. They'd always snuck out after twilight to the park, the pier, just about anywhere.

"There's a lot of people here." Hinata bit her lip and Naruto added hurriedly, "But it's okay. We're gonna go out there, perform and if they don't like us, they're crazy and we can laugh about it at Ichiraku."

Hinata smiled. The blonde had always loved the ramen restaurant and that love had only grown when the manager had accepted them for live entertainment. She glanced at the electric guitar in his hand. It was a good luck present from his aunt and uncle. It was entirely black with designs all along the body of it in silver, gold, orange and crimson. Her own guitar was fairly standard, a sleek black electric with a sticker of a blue eagle on it. They heard their names being called and they all took deep breaths before stepping out onto the stage.

* * * * *

The crowd watched as the three teenagers walked across the stage. The redhead of the group, someone that the entire school recognized as Gaara, stood behind the keyboard while the other two, a girl that no one recognized and Naruto both took guitars and stepped up to the mikes. None of them had ever seen Naruto dress like he was.

A dress shirt the color of burnt pumpkins had the first two buttons left undone and the shirt was tucked into a pair of black slacks. A black and silver tie was at half-mast and a bottle green jewel hung on a necklace. The blonde stepped up to the mike.

"Hey, everyone. I'm Naruto Uzumaki, the redhead's Gaara Sabaku and this Hinata Hyuuga and we're gonna perform a song called The Last Night."

The three glanced at each other before the echoing strains of the piano began.

"_You come to me with scars on your wrist  
You tell me this will be the last night feeling like this  
_I just came to say goodbye  
I didn't want you to see me cry, I'm fine_  
__But I know it's a lie___

_This is the last night you'll spend alone  
Look me in the eyes so I know you know  
I'm everywhere you want me to be  
The last night you'll spend alone  
I'll wrap you in my arms and I won't let go  
I'm everything You need me to be"_

The audience sat dumbfounded. Hinata had a soft voice and it meshed strangely well with Naruto's more powerful, deeper one. And the blonde had an emotion on his face that didn't entirely have a name. The piano continued strong behind the words and guitars._  
__  
Your parents say everything is your fault  
But they don't know you like I know you_

_They don't know you at all_

I'm so sick of when they say  
It's just a phase, you'll be okay, you're fine  
_But I know it's a lie___

_This is the last night you'll spend alone  
Look me in the eyes so I know you know  
I'm everywhere you want me to be  
The last night you'll spend alone  
I'll wrap you in my arms and I won't let go  
I'm everything You need me to be  
The last night away from me___

The night is so long when everything's wrong  
If you give me your hand  
I will help you hold on  
Tonight  
Tonight

_This is the last night you'll spend alone  
Look me in the eyes so I know you know  
I'm everywhere you want me to be  
The last night you'll spend alone  
I'll wrap you in my arms and I won't let go  
I'm everything You need me to be  
__  
__I won't let you say goodbye  
And I'll be your reason why__  
The last night away from me  
Away from me…"_

Both of the guitars stopped strumming simultaneously, while the piano let its final thrums echo into the crowd. The crowd sat stunned for a few long moments before bursting into applause. Gaara and Hinata stepped up on either side of Naruto, each taking his hand, squeezing gently, before the three bowed.

As they stepped off of the stage, each was bombarded with questions and hugs. Gaara felt a pair of strong arms go around him and was startled to find a beaming grin on a tan, strong-boned face with black eyes and thick eyebrows. "Excellent job, Gaara-kun!"

Naruto laughed but he caught sight of a shadow hanging back and smiled at the familiar young man. The blonde felt himself being pushed back onto stage and Iruka whisper-shouted, "They want an encore!"

The three looked at each other nervously before Naruto grinned and whispered the song name in their ears. They nodded and went back to their respective positions on stage.

"_Check yes Juliet, are you with me?  
Rain is falling down on the sidewalk  
I won't go until you come outside  
Check yes Juliet  
Kill the limbo  
I'll keep tossing rocks at your window  
There's no turning back for us tonight_

Lace up your shoes  
A O A O ah  
Here's how we do

Run baby run  
Don't ever look back  
They'll tear us apart  
If you give them the chance  
Don't sell your heart  
Don't say we're not meant to be  
Run baby run  
Forever will be  
You and me

Check yes Juliet  
I'll be waiting  
Wishing, wanting, yours for the taking  
Just sneak out and don't tell a soul goodbye  
Check yes Juliet, here's the countdown  
3...2...1... now fall in my arms  
Now they can change the locks  
Don't let them change your mind

Lace up your shoes  
A O A O ah  
Here's how we do

Run baby run  
Don't ever look back  
They'll tear us apart  
If you give them the chance  
Don't sell your heart  
Don't say we're not meant to be  
Run baby run  
Forever will be  
You and me

We're flying through the night  
We're flying through the night  
Way up high,  
The view from here is getting better with you by my side"

Naruto found a familiar pair of onyx eyes leaning on the wall watching him intently. Naruto smiled wider and returned his attention to the crowd.__

"Run baby run  
Don't ever look back  
They'll tear us apart  
If you give them the chance  
Don't sell your heart  
Don't say we're not meant to be  
Run baby run  
Forever will be...

Run baby run  
Don't ever look back  
They'll tear us apart  
If you give them the chance  
Don't sell your heart  
Don't say we're not meant to be  
Run baby run  
Forever will be  
You and me  
You and me  
You and me…"

The three bowed to the roaring of the crowd and Naruto's eyes strayed to the shadow that disappeared through the door.

- ? - ? - ? - ?

"You're not very good at being discreet, are you?" Naruto asked, leaning on the wall using his shoulder.

Sasuke looked back at him. They were back on the rooftop, the one that they'd been on before their detention. "Was I trying to be?"

"Is there some reason I should know?" Naruto stepped closer, shoulder to shoulder with the slightly taller teen, leaning his forearms on the railing. "What'd you think of the show?"

"I was a little surprised at the first song. And the Hyuuga girl has a good voice."  
"The opportunity was for her and I wanted a chance to clear Gaara's name."

"So what was in it for you?"

"A chance."

"A chance at what?"

Naruto smiled sideways at him and Sasuke felt a little nervousness and a little something else he didn't quite know what to call in his stomach. Naruto leaned in quickly and pressed a light, chaste kiss on his lips.

"That give you your answer?"  
Sasuke smirked and Naruto could see mischievousness in his eyes. "I don't think so. I might need a tutor to spell it out for me."

"Gladly."

-/-/-/-/-/-/

**A/N:** Whoo, that was loads of fun to write and I hope it was just as fun for you guys to read. Thanks for sticking with me all through this and if you guys have any requests, I'll be happy to take them.


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